Significant Positive Linear Relationship Research Articles

Isotopic (δ15 N) relationship of pregnant females and their embryos: Comparing placental and yolk-sac viviparous elasmobranchs.

Nitrogen stable isotopes ratios (δ15 N) were determined for selected tissues (muscle, liver, blood and yolk) of pregnant females and their embryos of a placental viviparous species, the Pacific sharpnose shark (Rhizoprionodon longurio), and a yolk-sac viviparous species, the speckled guitarfish (Pseudobatos glaucostigmus). The R. longurio embryo tissues were 15 N enriched compared to the same tissues in the pregnant female, using the difference in δ15 N (Δδ15 N) between embryo and adult. Mean Δδ15 N was 2.17‰ in muscle, 4.39‰ in liver and 0.80‰ in blood. For P. glaucostigmus, embryo liver tissue was significantly 15 N enriched in comparison with liver of the pregnant female (Δδ15 N mean = 1.22‰), whereas embryo muscle was 15 N depleted relative to the muscle of the pregnant female (Δδ15 N mean = -1.22‰). Both species presented a significant positive linear relationship between Δδ15 N and embryo total length (LT ). The results indicated that embryos have different Δδ15 N depending on their reproductive strategy, tissue type analysed and embryo LT .

Significant Factors of Motivational Needs that Influence Job Satisfaction through Regression Analysis

Motivation is an important life skill. Each person has purposes and to steward their purposes, it must be motivated to work towards their goals which can help their dreams become to reality. The higher the level of motivation needs, the higher the level of their job satisfaction. The main objective of this research is to identify motivational needs that influence the job satisfaction among respondents involved in this study. Specifically, to identify the relationship and significant variables between job satisfaction and five factors of motivational needs namely physiological needs, safety and security needs, love and belonging needs, self-esteem needs, and self-actualization needs. A sample of respondents who were working and doing part-time study was taken from public and private universities in Malaysia using convenience sampling. Therefore, the result of this research cannot be inferred to the population as a whole and only valid to the respondents involved in this research. The data was analyzed by using Statistical Package Social Science (SPSS) software. Preliminary analysis was conducted such as reliability analysis. Furthermore, correlation analysis was used to quantify the associations between motivational needs and job satisfaction. Multiple linear regression was used to identify significant variables in the model. The results indicated that there was a significant positive linear relationship between motivational needs towards job satisfaction. Furthermore, safety and security, self-esteem and self-actualization made statistically significant contribution to the job satisfaction in the model.

Effects of Reading Literacy Resources on Acquisition of English Language Skills among Grade One to Three Learners with Hearing Impairment in Western Kenya

Since the year 2016, the results of Kenya Certificate of Primary Education have shown that learners with hearing impairment in Western Kenya perform poorly in English Language. The results for 2016 showed that these learners scored a mean of 26.78 in 2016 and a mean of 25.98 in 2017. Scholars correlate under performance in languages with unavailability of early reading literacy resources. Children with hearing impairment need linguistically rich environments in order to acquire sign language. Acquisition of their first and second language affects their literacy development. This study was guided by the Krashen’s theory of second language acquisition developed. He postulates that the acquisition of a given language has to occur within some environment setting and in consonant with the social aspects of the human existence. The study sought to determine the effect of available professionally trained personnel on acquisition of English language skills among learners with hearing impairment in Western Kenya. The researcher used a mixed methods approach and Stratification to randomly sample 63 teachers of English language, 100 learners with HI, 9 head teachers, 4 county education officials and 24 non-teaching staff. Split-half split testing was used to test reliability while face and content validity of the research instruments was ensured by the supervisors. Data was collected using questionnaires, observation and interview schedules. It was analyzed both descriptively and inferentially and reports presented in narrative form. Results showed that over 53.3% (32 out of 60)respondents contended that teachers have not been effectively helping grade one to three learners with hearing impairment to develop English language skills reading using available literacy resources in western Kenya. The teaching staff had significant positive linear relationship of 18.9% (r = 0.189**, P<0.01) with acquisition of English language skills therefore significant low influence led to a conclusion that most teachers were not fully utilizing their acquired skills in instructing learners in schools for hearing impaired in special schools in Western Kenya. The researcher recommended that teachers in special schools in western Kenya should be encouraged to fully utilize their acquired skills to improve the learners’ literacy skills.

An investigation of Caligula japonica (Lepidoptera: Saturniidae) egg distribution and associated parasitoids on walnut trees (Juglans regia L.) in northwestern China

Caligula japonica is a serious defoliator pest of walnut trees, Juglans regia, in China. Important information about the occurrence of C. japonica egg masses on host plants and their indigenous parasitoids under field conditions are rarely documented. Here the distribution of egg masses of C. japonica on the trunks of J. regia and occurrence of its parasitoids in Kangxian, the most important walnut production area in northwestern China, were investigated. The results revealed that the egg masses were mainly located at 109.2 ± 62.3 cm height. The number of egg masses exhibited a significant positive linear relationship with the diameter of trees and a parabolic relationship with host tree height. The natural parasitism rate showed a significant negative linear relationship with the size of egg masses but no relationship with the height of egg masses. The percentage of parasitized egg masses and parasitism percentage of eggs were 49.0% and 7.0%, respectively. We found seven egg parasitoid species belonging to three genera, in which Mesocomys trabalae had the largest Berger-Parker index (0.6963). In addition, the coparasitism of M. trabalae and M. albitarsis accounted for 39.7% of the total coparasitized egg masses. This investigation provides basic information for utilizing egg parasitoids against C. japonica in the future.

An unexpected external shock and enterprises’ innovation performance

ABSTRACT Previous research has shown that competition can affect innovation, but we do not know if an unexpected external economic shock, as it decreases demand that increases competition, also affects innovation. Responding to this knowledge gap, we study Norwegian enterprises before and after the sudden and unexpected price decline of crude oil by the midyear of 2014. In some regions, due to their dependency on the petroleum sector, it strongly affected enterprises operating across many industries, while other regions were practically unaffected. Among enterprises that were innovative before the decline, we find a borderline significant inverted U-relationship between regional oil dependency before the decline and enterprises’ product innovation performance after the decline. Among enterprises that were not innovative before the decline, we find a robust significant positive linear relationship. The results can be a function of increased competition but particularly concerning the latter finding also better access to resources released in affected regions.

Effects of current and future climates on the growth dynamics and distributions of two riverine fishes

Abstract To facilitate conservation planning, there is a need for improved confidence in forecasts of climate change impacts on species distributions. Towards that end, there have been calls for the development of process‐based models to test hypotheses concerning the mechanisms by which temperature shapes distribution and to corroborate forecasts of correlative models. Models of temperature‐dependent growth (TDG) were developed for two Australian riverine blackfishes with disjunct longitudinal distributions: Gadopsis marmoratus (occupies lower, warmer elevations) and Gadopsis bispinosus (occupies higher, cooler elevations). The models were used to (a) predict blackfish monthly and annual growth dynamics under current and future climate scenarios within different elevation bands of their current distribution, and (b) test the hypothesis that, under the current climate, the distributions of each species would be positively correlated with predicted TDG. Increases in mean annual growth were forecast for both species under all warming scenarios, across all elevation bands. Both species currently occupy annual habitat temperatures below those optimal for growth. Under certain warming scenarios, the predicted increases in annual growth belie forecasts of within‐year dynamics that may interact with the phenology of blackfish to impair recruitment. There was not a significant positive linear relationship between predicted TDG and observed abundance among river segments for either species. Both species were strongly under‐represented where annual growth rates were forecast to be optimal and over‐represented where growth rates were forecast to be intermediate. Confidence in forecasts of climate change impacts based on correlative models will increase when those forecasts are consistent with a mechanistic understanding of how specific drivers (e.g. water temperature) affect processes (e.g. growth). This process‐based study revealed surprises concerning how future climates may affect fish growth dynamics, showing that although the blackfish distributions are correlated with temperature the temperature‐dependent mechanisms underpinning that correlation require further investigation.

Serum uric acid and incident atrial fibrillation: A systematic review and dose-response meta-analysis.

The exposure-effect association between serum uric acid and atrial fibrillationis not well known. We conduct a meta-analysis to quantitatively examine the exposure-effect relationship between serum uric acid and atrial fibrillation. Prospective studies (including cohort or nested case-control) that reported the serum uric acid and atrial fibrillation were identified through electronic searches using EMBASE, PubMed, and the Cochrane Library database. The exposure-effect analysis was performed using a stage robust error meta-regression. Eleven studies were included, with a total of 6831 cases of atrial fibrillation among 527908 individuals. Both the highest (risk ratio (RR), 1.9; 95% confidence interval (CI), 1.64-2.23; I2 =0%) and intermediate (RR, 1.36; 95% CI, 1.16-1.59; I2 =36%) level of serum uric acid were associated with increased risks of atrial fibrillation compared to the patients with the lowest level of serum uric acid. In the exposure-effect analysis, for each 1mg/dL increase in serum uric acid level, the incidence of atrial fibrillation increased by 21% (RR, 1.21; 95% CI, 1.12-1.32; I2 =78%). Furthermore, a significant positive linear relationship between serum uric acid and the risk of atrial fibrillation, Pnonlinearity =0.47 was found. The exposure-effect analysis demonstrated that serum uric acid over 5.0mg/dL significantly increased the risk of atrial fibrillation. There was a positive linear association between serum uric acid and risk of atrial fibrillation, both in subjects with noruricaemia and hyperuricaemia. More studies are needed to explore the impact of serum uric acid reduction on the incidence of atrial fibrillation.

Carapace width-weight relationships of blue swimmer crab Portunus armatus (A. Milne-Edwards, 1861) (Crustacea: Brachyura: Portunidae) in southwestern Australia: influences of sex, decadal change, environment, and season

AbstractThe relationship between carapace width (CW) and weight (W) of the blue swimmer crab Portunus armatus (A. Milne-Edwards, 1861) was determined for southwestern Australian populations using measurements collected over two decades from a range of nearshore marine and estuarine environments. A strong and significant positive linear relationship occurred between the natural logarithm (ln) of CW and ln(W) for both sexes overall and individually for males and females (R2 = 0.985–0.987; P < 0.001). The relationships were: overall ln(W) = −10.2262 + 3.1708 ln(CW); males ln(W) = −10.4641 + 3.234 ln(CW), and females ln(W) = −10.0595 + 3.1246 ln(CW). Significant differences in the relationship were detected between sexes, decadal sampling periods, environments, and seasons (P < 0.001), with sex and decadal period being most influential. Males were heavier than females at any given CW, which was most apparent at larger (>100 mm CW) sizes. Crabs were also generally heavier at CW in a recent sampling period (2014–2019) than historically (1995–2000), with the greatest decadal differences occurring in the estuarine environment. These relationships have direct applicability for use in stock assessments of this valuable fishery species. Moreover, observed changes in the CW-W relationships over time highlight the importance of regularly reviewing biological parameters used in fisheries assessments, particularly in response to climate change as in the case of southwestern Australia.

Prevalence and correlates of low birth weight babies born in a tertiary care teaching hospital in Eastern India

Background: Low birth weight (LBW) is one of the long-standing birth outcomes amongst all adverse pregnancy outcomes, which have lasting influences in the later life span. The objective of the study was to determine the prevalence of LBW babies; to examine the correlation between maternal socio-demographic, lifestyle, obstetrics, and clinical factors with LBW; and to compare the above factors between mothers with low and normal birth weight babies.Methods: All the pregnant women admitted for delivery in the inpatient Department of Gynaecology and Obstetrics and providing informed consent were interviewed with the help of the semi-structured questionnaire. The antenatal card and labour room log book were also scrutinized for relevant data.Results: The prevalence of LBW and VLBW were 33.8% and 2.8% respectively. A significant positive correlation was found between strenuous working environment, duration of standing, consumption of alcohol and smoking in pregnancy, previous history of premature birth and LBW babies, high blood pressure and pre-eclampsia during pregnancy, total weight gain during pregnancy and gestational age at birth and LBW. Mothers of LBW and normal birth weight babies significantly differed in their age, total weight gain during pregnancy, religion, level of education, history of premature baby and LBW baby, high blood pressure and preeclampsia during pregnancy. In the regression model, there was also a significant positive linear relationship between LBW and strenuous work environment & gestational age at birth.Conclusions: One third of the pregnant mothers delivered LBW child and various socio-demographic and clinical factors had significant correlation with LBW.

Spatial distribution of gambling exposure and vulnerability: an ecological tool to support health inequality reduction

ObjectivesRecent research by Public Health has redefined harmful gambling, shifting the focus from problematic people with irresponsible behaviour to ‘gamblogenic’ environments. The aim of this research was to support this alternative perspective with concrete ecological tools for characterizing harmful environments. Studies that analyse the spatial distribution of gambling show that people living in the most disadvantaged areas have greater access to gambling and are more affected by the harms of gambling. Despite their quality methodology and usefulness, the scope of geographic access measures has been partially limited. These measures have been mostly structured around a single form of gambling, focus on only one dimension of accessibility (density or proximity) and few of them take into account the risks associated with each type of the game.The main goal of our research was to propose an innovative method to characterize gambling environments in Quebec and address social inequality with respect to gambling exposure. This article more specifically describes the method we used to address the aforementioned shortcomings by developing the gambling exposure index (GEI), a more comprehensive ecological index of all games—weighted by their relative level of risk—to which populations are exposed. Study designThe study design is a cross-sectional ecological study. MethodsThe methodological approach was carried out in three stages. A GEI was operationalized and is composed of three dimensions: A dimension of spatial accessibility to gambling sites, a dimension of density of gambling places and a dimension of relative risk associated with different types of game. The two-step floating catchment area (2SFCA) method was used to combine these three dimensions into an overall GEI index. Data were retrieved from a geocoded directory of all gambling sites from Loto-Québec and other commercial databases. The relative risk of each type of game has been expressed by prevalence rates for those specific games in a Quebec population prevalence survey. A vulnerability to gambling index (VGI) was produced based on 6 socio-economic proxies of problem gambling from the 2016 Canadian census. The six variables were weighted and aggregated at the dissemination area (DA) level. Spatial and descriptive statistical analyses were conducted to explore the relationship between VGI and GEI and to identify areas that are highly vulnerable and have a high gambling exposure. ResultsThe findings of our analysis reveal widespread geographic exposure to gambling and a significant positive linear relationship between the GEI and the VGI. In many areas, increased accessibility to gambling is significantly associated with a higher vulnerability to gambling. Our findings demonstrate that in 1328 DAs in Quebec, there is a particularly unequal and potentially harmful geographical distribution of gambling, exposing 9% of the population which are theoretically vulnerable to gambling to an increased presence of gambling. ConclusionThis research applied a spatial analytical approach to assess the association between environments, gambling and vulnerability. The GEI and VGI at the DA level can serve as a monitoring tool for policy-makers regarding gambling exposure in the most vulnerable sectors and contribute to prevention and intervention strategies better adapted to the population. The general findings raise the ethical implications of increased marketing development in vulnerable neighbourhoods. As the GEI takes into account both the environmental determinants and the relative risk of games, it is in contributing to the shift in public and scientific discourse, redefining the subject from problematic people to problematic games and environments.

The impact of perfectionism trait on anxiety and academic procrastination among international Saudi Arabian students studying in United States Universities

Objectives: To investigate the relationship of perfectionist personality traits to anxiety traits and academic procrastination. Also to examine the possibility of predicting trait anxiety and academic procrastination by measuring perfectionist personality traits. Methods/statistical analysis: the study followed the survey methodology. The sample consisted of 521 Saudi students studying in United States universities during the 2017-2018 academic year. Students participants were invited to complete an electronic survey that incorporated the: 1) Multidimensional Perfectionism Scale; 2) State-Trait Anxiety Inventory - Form Y; and 3) Tuckman Procrastination Scale. Regression analysis was utilized for study findings. Findings: the results of the study showed a significant positive linear relationship among trait anxiety with the three perfectionism dimensions: socially-prescribed perfectionism, self-oriented perfectionism, and other-oriented perfectionism. The findings also revealed a significant positive correlation between self-oriented perfectionism and academic procrastination. Novelty/applications: this study is the first of its kind to investigate the perfectionist trait and its relationship to academic procrastination and anxiety among Saudi students studying in the US. Keywords: perfectionism; anxiety trait; procrastination; Saudi students; Unites States universities

Baseline Endometrial Thickness or Endometrial Thickness Change in Response to Estrogen Is Not Predictive of Frozen Embryo Transfer Success in Medicated Cycles.

There is some consensus that endometrial thickness (EMT) needs to be at least 7mm on day of embryo transfer. However, the predictive role of baseline EMT and EMT change in response to estrogen is largely unknown. The objective of this study was to evaluate the role of endometrial thickness in frozen embryo transfer (FET) cycles. We analyzed the association of baseline endometrial thickness (EMTb-Day 3 of cycle) and endometrial thickness change (EMTΔ-from baseline to start of progesterone supplementation) with FET success in 121cycles. We also investigated whether baseline estradiol levels and body mass index (BMI) are associated with EMTb. No difference was observed in EMTb and EMTΔ in cycles resulting in clinical pregnancy compared to unsuccessful transfers (5.1 ± 2.2mm vs 5.0 ± 1.9mm; p= 0.92, and 4.7 ± 2.4mm vs. 4.4 ± 2.4mm; p= 0.56). When 7mm cut-off was used, endometrial thickness on the day of start of progesterone supplementation (EMTp) was also not different between groups (9.8 ± 2.9mm vs. 9.4 ± 2.5mm; p= 0.50). Multivariable logistic regression models did not demonstrate any predictive value of EMTb, EMTp, or EMTΔ in predicting success of FET cycles (p= 0.92, p= 0.80, and p= 0.84, respectively). There was no significant correlation between EMTb and baseline estradiol levels (r= -0.001; p= 0.985). BMI showed statistically significant weak positive linear relationship with EMTb (r= +0.29; p= 0.002). Our study did not demonstrate any significant relationship between baseline endometrial thickness or endometrial thickness change and clinical pregnancy rates in frozen embryo transfer cycles. Significant positive linear relationship of BMI with baseline endometrial thickness, despite no correlation between baseline estradiol and EMTb, points to the role of possible other mechanism affecting EMT besides estradiol in obese patients.

Disentangling white-matter damage from physiological fibre orientation dispersion in multiple sclerosis.

Multiple sclerosis leads to diffuse damage of the central nervous system, affecting also the normal-appearing white matter. Demyelination and axonal degeneration reduce regional fractional anisotropy in normal-appearing white matter, which can be routinely mapped with diffusion tensor imaging. However, the standard fractional anisotropy metric is also sensitive to physiological variations in orientation dispersion of white matter fibres. This complicates the detection of disease-related damage in large parts of cerebral white matter where microstructure physiologically displays a high degree of fibre dispersion. To resolve this ambiguity, we employed a novel tensor-valued encoding method for diffusion MRI, which yields a microscopic fractional anisotropy metric that is unaffected by regional variations in orientation dispersion. In 26 patients with relapsing-remitting multiple sclerosis, 14 patients with primary-progressive multiple sclerosis and 27 age-matched healthy controls, we compared standard fractional anisotropy mapping with the novel microscopic fractional anisotropy mapping method, focusing on normal-appearing white matter. Mean microscopic fractional anisotropy and standard fractional anisotropy of normal-appearing white matter were significantly reduced in both patient groups relative to healthy controls, but microscopic fractional anisotropy yielded a better reflection of disease-related white-matter alterations. The reduction in mean microscopic fractional anisotropy showed a significant positive linear relationship with physical disability, as reflected by the expanded disability status scale. Mean reduction of microscopic fractional anisotropy in normal-appearing white matter also scaled positively with individual cognitive dysfunction, as measured with the symbol digit modality test. Mean microscopic fractional anisotropy reduction in normal-appearing white matter also showed a positive relationship with total white-matter lesion load as well as lesion load in specific tract systems. None of these relationships between normal-appearing white-matter microstructure and clinical, cognitive or structural measures emerged when using mean fractional anisotropy. Together, the results provide converging evidence that microscopic fractional anisotropy mapping substantially advances the assessment of cerebral white matter in multiple sclerosis by disentangling microstructure damage from variations in physiological fibre orientation dispersion at the stage of data acquisition. Since tensor-valued encoding can be implemented in routine diffusion MRI, microscopic fractional anisotropy mapping bears considerable potential for the future assessment of disease progression in normal-appearing white matter in both relapsing-remitting and progressive forms of multiple sclerosis as well as other white-matter-related brain diseases.

Study on the Pore and Microstructure Fractal Characteristics of Alkali-Activated Coal Gangue-Slag Mortars.

Just as it is regarding ordinary cement-based materials, the pore structure and microstructure of alkali-activated materials are disordered. It is essential to predict the macroscopic properties by studying the pore and microstructure fractal characteristics of materials. In this paper, the effects of slag content and alkali activator modulus on compressive strength, porosity, and microstructure of alkali-activated coal gangue-slag (AACGS) mortar were studied. Further, with the help of mercury intrusion porosimetry (MIP) data and the MATLAB programming, the pore and SEM photos fractal dimensions of AACGS mortar specimens were obtained, respectively, and the relationship between the microscopic fractal dimensions and the macroscopic strength and the structural characteristics of pores was established. The results show that the pore fractal dimension has a good linear relationship with the compressive strength and pore characteristic parameters (porosity, total pore area, and average pore diameter, etc.). With the increase of slag content, the SEM photos fractal dimension of AACGS mortar specimens increases, and the fractal dimension and compressive strength also show a significant positive linear relationship. The two fractal characterization methods can be used in the alkali-activated material system and have important guiding significance for predicting the macroscopic strength and pore characteristic parameters of the material.

Correlation of Working Hours with Morbidity in Working Professionals

Introduction: In an era of accelerated economical progress, work culture is on a verge of change. Long working hours are soon becoming a common scenario in Indian work places. This change is said to affect the health of the population giving rise to non communicable diseases, of which diabetes and cardiovascular diseases are trending the list. Aim: The study aims to assess the correlation of working hours with morbidity related to chronic diseases in male working age population. Method: A cross sectional survey of male working population (n=320) engaged in full time sedentary work in public and private offices of Jaipur city of Rajasthan was carried out. The working hours were classified into two groups: those working for ? 48 hours/week (normal hours) and > 48 hours/week (long hours). An interview was conducted via an interview schedule to collect general and work related information while biomedical profile was assessed by drawing blood samples for the participants and assessing them in the lab. Results: A significant positive correlation of working hours with morbidity was found in male working age population for all biomedical parameters studied except HDL cholesterol. Conclusions: Working hours are found to have a significant positive linear relation with morbidity in working male population.

In Medio Stat Virtus: intermediate levels of mind wandering improve episodic memory encoding in a virtual environment.

Episodic memory encoding is highly influenced by the availability of attentional resources. Mind wandering corresponds to a shift of attention toward task-unrelated thoughts. Few studies, however, have tested this link between memory encoding and mind wandering. The goal of the present work was to systematically investigate the influence of mind wandering during encoding on episodic memory performances in an ecological setting. Fifty-two participants were asked to navigate in a virtual urban environment. During the walk, they encountered different scenes that, unbeknownst to the participants, were target items presented in a subsequent recognition task associated with a Remember-Know-Guess paradigm. Each item triggered, after a random interval, a thought probe assessing current mind wandering. We found a significant linear positive relationship between the ratio of correctly recognized items and the overall mind wandering reported after the task. Moreover, we found a quadratic reversed U-shaped relationship between the probability of giving a 'Remember' response and both on-line and mind wandering reported a posteriori. The nearer to the medium value the level of mind wandering was, the higher was the probability to have a recollection-based recognition. Our results indicate that in a complex environment, the highest probability of actually remembering a scene would be when participants present a medium attentional level: neither distracted by inner thoughts nor too focused on the environment. This open attentional state would allow a better global processing of the environment by preventing one's attention from being captured by internal thoughts or narrowed by an over-focusing on the environment.

Does Working Capital Management Affect Profitability of Ghanaian Manufacturing Firms?

Abstract This paper analyses the link between working capital management and profitability of firms in the context of developing economies. A balanced panel consisting of eleven (11) manufacturing firms listed on the Ghana Stock Exchange covering the period of 2011-2017 was used. The link between working capital management and profitability was examined using dynamic panel regression (Arellano-Bond Estimation) technique. The study revealed that there is a significant positive linear relationship between working capital management and firms’ profitability. The findings also reveal the existence of a concave quadratic relationship between working capital management and firms’ profitability. There is an optimal level at which working capital management maximises firm’s profitability, therefore, managers need to ensure that they operate within the limits of the optimal level by implementing an effective and efficient working capital management policy. The study concludes that, the practice of an aggressive working capital management policy maximises a firm’s profitability.

Preliminary study on the correlation of plasma hemolysis index and potassium measurement of inpatient in the Biochemistry Laboratory of General Hospital Kuala Lumpur

Background: Potassium (K+) is the essential micronutrient and major intracellular fluid cation which involves in various cellular metabolism activities, maintaining fluid and electrolyte balance. Measurement of blood concentration in a medical laboratory has often encountered disturbances such as hemolysis, which may lead to the elevation in measurement and affects the medical diagnosis and treatment of the patient, conceivably fatal. Hemolysis can be decided using hemolysis index (H-index) through automation. Methods: In this study, H-index and concentration of fifty hospitalized patients (n=50) hemolysed blood samples were measured and correlated. Freezing-and-thaw method was used to hemolyse the blood samples. Different concentrations were diluted and analyzed using COBAS 8000 biochemistry analyser. Data were collected and analyzed using SPSS version 25. Results: Our findings showed significant mean differences, 0.001 (p ≤ 0.05) and strong positive linear relationship between two variables (H-index and ) (r=0.764, p ≤ 0.05). By applying calculated linear equation [y = 0.0048x + 5.146, = 0.5838], critical value of 6.0 mmol/l gives H-index of 178, H-index above 178 is suggested to be critical. Discussion and Conclusion: concentration increases in proportion to H-index. A greater degree of hemolysis causes more ions to be released into extracellular fluid, respectively. In conclusion, when H-index less than 178 in measurement and there is no analytical significance bias generated, the result is acceptable, whilst H-index with analyte variation between clinically significant bias range can be released with a comment regarding the potential of data alteration. Meanwhile, result with H-index exceeding the cut-offs should be suppressed and recollection of sample is required.

The Relationship Between PSiKKIT Factors and Packaging Innovation Behavior: A Survey Among Micro-Food Entrepreneurs


 
 
 The purpose of this study is to determine the relationship between knowledge, attitude, awareness, finance, institutional networking and technology (PSiKKIT) factors and packaging innovation behavior among micro-food entrepreneurs. This study uses a Theory of Planned Behavior is appropriate to be applied in the marketing area and entrepreneurs behavior context. A total of 40 micro entrepreneurs on food under agency guidance in Selangor were selected as a sample through a systematic random sampling technique. The instruments of this study using questionnaires that have been validated by expert to evaluate and have good reliability. The data were analyzed statistically inference using Pearson’s correlating test and multiple linear regression techniques. The findings indicate that there is a significant high and positive linear relationship between institutional networking, attitude, awareness and packaging innovation behavior. On the other hand, knowledge, finance and technology indicate non-significant relationship. The findings of this study also reported that the combination of predictor variables PSiKKIT contributed significantly to the behavior of packaging innovation. In fact, the institutional networking as the dominant predictor factor contributes to the innovation behavior of packaging. The implications of this study have been that the factors of PSiKKIT and the behavior of packaging innovations have different influences. The study also suggested that guidance agencies should focus more on institutional networks, raising awareness, financial support and technology support to promote the practice of packaging innovation among micro-food entrepreneurs.
 
 

In Vivo Confocal Microscopy Observation of Cell and Nerve Density in Different Corneal Regions with Monocular Pterygium.

Purpose To investigate the effects of pterygium on corneal cell and nerve density in patients with unilateral pterygium using in vivo laser scanning confocal microscopy (LSCM). Methods In this cross-sectional study, 24 patients with unilateral pterygium who were treated in the Department of Ophthalmology of the Second People's Hospital of Wuxi City from April 2018 to July 2018 were analyzed. Each eye with pterygium and its fellow eye were imaged by LSCM. The density of basal corneal epithelial cells, anterior stromal cells, posterior stromal cells, dendritic cells, and endothelial cells in pterygium and adjacent clear cornea was measured. In the fellow eyes, the central cornea, nasal cornea, nasal mid-peripheral cornea, and temporal cornea were imaged. The difference in the density of cells and subepithelial nerve fibers in different corneal regions of eyes with pterygium was analyzed. The cell and nerve density of the fellow cornea were also measured to exclude the influencing factors. Results The density of corneal basal epithelial cells in the central corneas of eyes with pterygium was 6497 ± 1776 cells/mm2, which was higher than that in the area near the head of pterygium (5580 ± 1294 cells/mm2, P < 0.001), the region above pterygium (6097 ± 1281 cells/mm2, P=0.049), and the region below pterygium (5463 ± 1007 cells/mm2, P=0.001). The density of anterior stromal cells in the central cornea was 742 ± 243 cells/mm2, which was higher than that in the area near the head of pterygium (587 ± 189 cells/mm2, P=0.005), the region below pterygium (492 ± 159 cells/mm2, P=0.005), and the temporal cornea (574 ± 164 cells/mm2, P=0.003). The density of endothelial cells in the central cornea was 2398 ± 260 cells/mm2, which was higher than that in the area near the head of pterygium (2296 ± 231 cells/mm2, P=0.011) and the region below pterygium (2272 ± 400 cells/mm2, P=0.020). The density of dendritic cells in the central cornea was 53 ± 48 cells/mm2, which was lower than that in the area near the head of pterygium (250 ± 224 cells/mm2, P=0.001), the upper region (103 ± 47 cells/mm2, P=0.006), and the lower region (90 ± 48 cells/mm2, P=0.023). The corneal nerve fiber length (CNFL) in the center was higher than that in the area near the head of pterygium, the upper region, and the lower region. Compared with fellow eyes, eyes with pterygium had a significantly higher mean corneal power (KM) (P < 0.001). There was a significant positive linear relationship between the corneal area invaded by pterygium of pterygia and KM (r = 0.609, P=0.009). Conclusion Basal epithelial cells, stromal cells, endothelial cells, dendritic cells, and subepithelial nerve fibers in the central cornea of eyes with pterygium were different from those of pterygium and adjacent clear cornea. LSCM is effective for observing the morphology and quantity of corneal cells in pterygium.